Bases
by Mrnickmiller
Summary: Just a few chapters of fluff to pass the hiatus and try and make me feel better. Noting too intense. Nick and Jess try to find their way back...emotionally and physically
1. Chapter 1

She knew they were sitting too close, she knew it. The tops of their arms were pressed hard together with neither of them making any attempt to move it out the way. It was starting to happen more often. They kept their eyes firmly fixed to the TV trying to remain nonchalant about the ramping up of their physical contact, ignoring any raised eyebrows or smiles coming from the other people in the room. Inside Jess' heart was racing. The physical contact thing was tricky for them to navigate. The first month it was an impossibility, being in the same room was impossible, in the second month it happened but with both of them recoiling afterwards like the other was made of fire, in the third month they tried in platonically but it just didn't sit right, in the fourth month they has tried it with other people which ended as soon as it began.

Now, in month five, they were letting it happen, both challenging the other to see how far they would let it go, how long they would let it last. They found themselves taking advantage of situations. Nick would pass her the carton of orange extending his fingers longer than he needed to just so they would graze over hers. She had pretended he had fluff in his hair just to touch him. He knew. The highfives goodbye had turned into drawn out arm strokes and she was back to making him breakfast in the mornings, trying to undo all the junk food he had eaten in the months after they had broken up.

She didn't' know what was happening, neither of them did but it felt good, it felt right. Somewhere in the last few weeks her world had slowly started to make sense again. She had seen that look come back into his eyes that made her feel like life was perfect and she was in no hurry to let that go. The plot of the movie was a mystery to her, she wasn't watching, she wasn't' even looking at the screen, instead her eyes were fixed to Nick's now bent leg which was resting haphazardly on her thigh. The heat was burning through her jeans and she was sure he would be able to feel her pulse thudding round her body. God she had missed this, she had missed how he could make her feel. She leaned forward a little to scratch the non-existent itch in her knee, conveniently leaving her hand behind, the back of her knuckles grazing against the top of his thigh. He knew what she was doing, she saw his eyes flicker from the TV and down to her hand, she felt his arm press more firmly against hers as he faked a stretch to adjust himself a little closer to her. They were getting comfortable too comfortable.

* * *

As the movie credits rolled up the screen an hour later Nick barked out words that he didn't even know were coming.

"Hey let's watch another one!"

He didn't want anything about the situation he was in to change. He knew he sounded too eager but he didn't care. This was the closest he had been to her in five months and in felt amazing. He ignored the rolled eyes and presumptuous coughs from Schmidt and Winston.

"Ok I could go for another" Winston shrugged in agreement.

"Cool, ok your choice man"

"MY choice, you never let me choose"

"Yes I do"

"Yeah right, you just don't want to move" Winston mumbled under his breath, more than a little wise to what was going on the sofa next to him. So was Schmidt who took great pleasure in winding Nick up.

"Hey Nick go and grab some more popcorn man"

"Uh I don't really want any more popcorn"

"YOU don't want food...come on man I pulled a muscle in my leg at the gym today and it hurts too much to stand just go get some...please"

"Look ...I don't think we have any left Schmidt"

"Yeah we do, there's more in the cupboard next to the fridge" Schmidt could see Nick's jaw clenching and his eyes squinting.

"Look I'll get it" Jess offered.

As quick as that she was out of her seat and the whole of his right side went cold at the loss of contact. He glanced up at her as she walked by him to try and read her face but the room was too dark for him to make out her expression. Had she been uncomfortable? Was he pushing this too far? Maybe she didn't want this.

* * *

As the second movie started up Nick adjusted in his seat a little making himself look a little less casual, occasionally glancing back as Jess pottered around in the kitchen. He closed his eyes and let out a small sigh, mad at himself for getting his hopes up and reading too much into every little thing she did and said, seeing signs that she wanted him back, signs that weren't really there. His heart sank when she returned to the sofa, sitting further away from him now. He desperately tried to read her eyes as she turned to offer him popcorn but he couldn't see anything, nothing that gave him hope. Now he had to sit through another movie when all he wanted to do was retreat to his bedroom with a beer and try again to forget the torturous feeling of her body being pressed up against his.

Jess sat with her body now rigid, her straightened arms pressed firmly between her knees which were now pointing away from his since their change in position. She wasn't sure why she had gotten up to leave, she had been more than comfortable and now she couldn't get back to where they were. It was too awkward. Glancing to her side fleetingly, all of him was leaning away from her now, he seemed to be retreating further and further back into his corner of the sofa. She leaned back allowing her head to drop softly against the back of the cushion hoping to narrow the distance but he didn't move. Her body was twitching, she need to be touching him again but short of sitting on his lap she didn't know what to do. She made an exit for the bathroom in her frustration, dammit this was getting harder. This path of eggshells they were negotiating was becoming nothing but a scrambled mess. She was sick of trying to do what she though was best, or what they 'should' be doing. She had listened to her head last time and look what it had gotten her, nothing but heartbreak. No this time she was going with her heart, her gut.

Suddenly emboldened she flung the door open and marched back into the living room, without giving herself any time to think she dropped herself right next to him, her knees folded up to her chest and leaned in towards him. She felt him stir next to her but she didn't dare turn round in case his expression wasn't the one she wanted to see. Instead she felt his arm stretch behind her, resting along the back of the sofa cushion, he wasn't touching her, he couldn't be that forward just yet but it was enough. She bit her lip trying to stifle the smile that was quickly creeping across her face.

* * *

Winston had chosen yet another doozy of a movie that he himself was struggling to sit through. Nick was watching Jess' profile in the light of the TV screen and he could see her eyelashes drooping down every few seconds, he knew she was fighting sleep but was grateful she was still there next to him. Her head dropped back slowly several times as tiredness started to overcome her but each time she snapped her head back upright not wanting to lose out on the moment. Nick watched as her head lolled back on her shoulders and laughed quietly to himself but it soon subsided as her head dropped back one more time to rest on his shoulder, her hair tickling his mouth and nose. As he breathed in the scent of her shampoo a million and one memories came back to him. He had become so accustomed to waking up with a shock of dark hair in his face every morning and the smell of soap and vanilla filling his nose and then suddenly that was gone for the longest time and his heart had ached so much to get it back.

He was terrified to move, he stopped breathing in case the sound awoke her and she moved away from him again. He turned his head into her just as he always had and closed his eyes gently grazing the top of her head with his lips without quite kissing her. He needed it back, he need all of it back, he needed her.

* * *

Nick woke a couple of hours later squinting his eyes in the glare of the blue TV screen and immediately became aware of the hot, heavy weight on top of him as he lay, now fully reclined, on the sofa. He glanced down to see the beautiful, sleepy head that was resting comfortably on his chest, next to it was a small delicate hand clutching gently at the front of his tshirt. He craned his head a little to see that the formerly occupied chairs of Schmidt and Winston now sat vacant. He hadn't heard them leave, he wasn't even sure when they had fallen asleep. All he knew was that the pain in his chest had gone, he didn't feel angry or sad, he felt peaceful. His right arm had gone completely dead as it lay strewn around her back but it could drop off for all he cared, he wasn't about to move.

Jess opened her eyes seeing her hand in front of her face, it was rising and falling in front of her as it rested on a breathing chest, Nick's chest. She could tell by the way he was breathing that he was awake too. How had they gotten themselves into this position? She rested her palm flat on his chest pushing herself up gently when she heard Nick inhale sharply.

"Sorry did I?..."

"No, no it's ok, my arm has just gone a little dead is all."

Why did he say that? The second he said it she sat bolt upright moving away from him. Idiot.

"Sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep like this, I..."

The light, playful edge to their touching was gone, Things had suddenly become real. Very real. There eyes locked, both of them pleading with the other to explain what was happening, what it all meant.

"What's going on with us Jess?"

"I don't know"

"What do you want here?"

"I don't know."

"What do you know Jess?" There was a slight tone of desperation to his voice, he couldn't bare another lonely night going by where things were left unresolved.

"I just...I know I miss you. I miss you like crazy and sometimes I..."

"You what?" Nick pushed her tentatively.

"Sometimes I forget, I forget why we're not together anymore"

"Me too Jess."

"This friend thing, it isn't working is it?"

"No...it's not."

"So what do we do?"

The silence which followed made her words ring in the air. They sat expectantly, waiting for some divine intervention to provide them with all the answers. So when it didn't come they turned to good old fashions facts.

"I don't know Nick but I know I can't be without you,I know that I can't bare the thought of you being with someone else."

"God me either Jess" He shifted towards her grabbing both of her hands.

"But I also know that I am terrified Nick. Terrified that if anything goes wrong I will lose you. For good this time."

"Ok...what if we take it slow. Really slow this time."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that last time it wasn't even a year before we were shacked up together and talking about marriage and kids. We weren't ready for that Jess."

"I know" Jess ran her index finger quickly under her nose as she sniffed back the tears.

"So let's take the pressure off, let's keep it simple this time and start slow. You in your room, me in mine. We can do it the old fashioned way."

"So you're saying..."

Nick didn't say anything more. He pressed his palm against her tear soaked cheek and threaded his fingers into her now mussed up sleep hair. Edging slowly closer he heard a breath escape from her mouth before his lips met hers. He nipped at her lips softly then moved back to gauge her reaction. As her face softened and her hands clung tighter at his waist he kissed her again and again before the moment completely overtook them. They clung to each other like a lifeline as their lips glided together in perfect harmony as they always had. The tips of their tongues touching against each other's tentatively, testing the water before they both succumbed to their yearning. Moments later Nick pulled away leaving them both gasping for air. He rested his forehead against hers, staring at her still closed eyes, stroking her cheek to bring her back to earth. He kissed both of her eyelids and her eyes opened to meet his, giving her an almost imperceptible nod of reassurance he kissed her forehead and rose from his seat.

"Good night Jessica."

She sat fixed to her seat watching him until he disappeared behind his closed bedroom door.


	2. Chapter 2

It was 11pm by the time Jess got home, it was coming up to the end of the semester and this was when her vice principal duties really kicked into gear. She had a mountain of exam papers to grade and she was only half way through. The sight of her classroom was driving her crazy so after throwing down her pen in frustration she had decided to work through the night at home, at least that way she was surrounded by couch cushions and a half way decent cup of coffee. She opened the door as quietly as she could but her bags kept banging off everything as she waddled in, struggling to balance everything she was carrying. Once inside she realised she needn't have bothered, Winston was working a night shift, Schmidt wouldn't wake up if lightning struck him and she knew Nick would be at the bar.

She had noticed he had been working a lot of extra shifts lately, she had seen him pull back to back shifts before when he needed a little cash injection but a small part of her couldn't shake the worry that he was avoiding her. It had been three weeks since they kissed and true to his word he was taking it slow. Very slow. They weren't sleeping together, they weren't really going on dates or anything like that yet but every now and again when she least expected it he would turn up at school just to help her carry her things to her car, or he would cook her a meal, he would rest his hand on her leg as they sat watching TV never taking it any further than that. She still wasn't sure what rules they were supposed to be playing by and to be honest she was still almost as confused as she was before. They hadn't defined anything yet, there were no absolutes, this was all about baby steps but boy was it frustrating. She still had those instincts to go to him, to hug him at the end of a bad day or rub his neck when she could see him cracking it, to straighten out his hair when it was mussed up at the back. Those instincts had never gone away but the will to fight them was wearing her down. To top it all off, tonight she was exhausted and feeling a little over emotional, she would always turn to Nick when she felt like this but she guessed they weren't ready for that yet.

* * *

Nick leaned his head back against the wall of the elevator, he was exhausted, he could have done without having to train new staff in the middle of his shifts, it had used his last bit of energy. He had been working a lot lately, he needed the distraction, he needed to spend some time away from Jess or the temptation to jump right back in with both feet was too overwhelming, especially since they had kissed. He had to get this right and he would do whatever it took. He could tell she was getting a little confused and impatient trying to figure him out but if he followed through with his instincts he would do something crazy like propose to her and then they would end up at square one. The truth was he was terrified, he needed her so badly but the thought of losing her again kept him awake at night. He couldn't go through that kind of pain again, yes he wanted to make love to her, yes he wanted to go back to waking up to her every morning and telling the world that she was his girlfriend, but until he was certain they were back on solid ground he would survive on those little moments between them. He had been too scared to kiss her again but he wasn't sure how long his resolve would hold out, she made him feel like no woman ever had. She had him by the short hairs that was for sure.

Walking towards the front door he noticed a little light coming through the bottom, somebody was still awake. He hoped it was one of the guys, he felt a little more in control of himself when he knew Jess was safely tucked up asleep in bed when he got home all tired and vulnerable. But as he cracked the door open slowly he saw her sitting crossed legged on the sofa surrounded by papers. She looked up at him at the sound of the door opening, with a half smile she pushed her glasses back up her nose.

"Hey" She uncrossed her legs dropping her feet flat on the floor suddenly, like he had caught her doing something she shouldn't be.

"Hey...you're up late"

"Yeah I need to have all these papers graded by tomorrow. I think I should be done in another hour or so."

"Can I help with anything?"

"No it's ok...but thanks"

Nick loitered near the door unsure of his next move, then he decided to go for it, to push past the awkwardness once again and see what was there. He did a small detour to the kitchen to grab himself a beer before he settled on the couch careful not to mess up any of her papers. She kept her head down as he took his seat, but she wasn't writing anything, she didn't even seem to be reading as her eyes were fixed, unmoved on one spot of the page.

"You mind if I put the game highlights on...I can mute the sound?"

"Sure"

Another silence descended upon them as she carried on with her work and Nick pretended to watch the TV, when all he was watching was her. After ten minutes of silence Nick started to give up hope that they would have any kind of moment together tonight but as he contemplated going to bed he noticed her place her pen down on the page and look up at him, stretching her arms languidly over her head. His eyes flickered down to her breasts fleetingly as the material of her shirt pulled taught across her chest.

"So how was work?"

"It was ok I guess, we had a new girl start today, that's why I'm so late I stayed behind for drinks."

"Oh" Jess lowered her eyes to her paper once again.

Nick sat foward suddenly in realisation, waving his hand to shake off what he had just said.

"No it wasn't just me and her...there were other people there. I didn't...I mean I wouldn't..."

"It's ok Nick you don't have to explain anything to me...I mean we're not...you know...?"

Suddenly that familiar cloud of awkwardness drifted over them again. They had both thought that it was lessening but it would still rear its ugly head reminding them that it was still there, that there was still a stuff for them to work through.

"Um...I think I'm gonna go make some tea" Jess scratched at her neck nervously and made a swift exit to the kitchen but Nick wasn't ready to let this drop. He deposited his beer on the coffee table and followed behind her.

* * *

She stood at the counter with her back to him fiddling nervously with the kettle which was now the only thing filling the silence.

"I'm not seeing anyone else Jess...you know that...and I don't want to. Ever."

Jess continued to stand with her back to him raising her voice a little to speak over the sound of the kettle.

"Look Nick it's ok."

"Really?...cos it doesn't seem like you're ok."

"I'm just tired Nick" There was frustrated, desperate tone to her voice that made Nick want to go to her but he knew where it would lead.

"Jess look at me"

She ignored him, continuing to fix her drink, suddenly feeling like she was on the verge of tears and not understanding why, he hadn't done anything.

"Jess!" He raised his voice.

"What?...Ah dammit...ow!"

Jess stifled a yell as her sudden movement caused her aim to faulter as she was pouring water out of the kettle, burning a little of her left hand in the process. Nick was over to her in a shot standing close behind her to see what she had done. So close the she could feel his heat radiating on her back, his scent was flooding her senses. Suddenly the pain in her hand didn't seem so bad.

"Jess are you ok...what did you do?!"

"It's nothing, I just spilled a little of the water on me...it's fine really I think I just got a shock."

"Wait...here let me see."

Jess held her breath as Nick's arms encircled her from behind, grasping her hand in both of his and holding it under the running cold water, rubbing gently over the slightly reddening area. She could see the look of concern and concentration on his face as she turned her head ever so slightly towards his. She hadn't actually hurt herself all that badly and if she had she couldn't feel it anymore as any feelings of pain were surpressed by a rising sense of arousal. She allowed him to take care of her, to touch her tenderly, just the feel of being in his arms again was making her legs go weak. He reached for the dish towel after shutting off the water and began to dry her hands as affectionately and as gently as before.

Nick could feel the heavy rise and fall of her back against his chest as her breathing quickended, or was it him who was struggling to breather? He could see she had closed her eyes, her neck bending slightly as her head drifted back a little closer to his but not quite touching. Jess could feel his breath blowing the soft hairs at the side of her head, she could hear his breathing more loudly in her ear now and feel the pressure of his chest pushing delightfully against her back. As her senses spun rapidly into overdrive she felt it all start to pool low down in her belly before the heat spread down between her legs. She was in trouble.

Without thinking Jess pulled the towel from his hands dropping it on the counter and ran her hands up his strong forearms. She heard him inhale sharply as his now empty hands moved to grip the front of the sink. She moved her hands up and down his arms painfully slowly, savoring the feel of the soft hairs tickling her palms. Jess felt the whole of Nick's body pressing up against her from behind as he took a step foward, his hands now taking residence on the flat of her stomach making small strokes with his thumbs. Turning his head into her neck he dragged his lips lightly over the exposed skin at the juncture between her shoulder and her neck making her whimper ever so slightly. He tried to take another step towards her even though it wasn't possible trying to increase the friction against his groin which was now positioned snuggly against her butt.

Jess leaned her head back against his shoulder exposing her neck to him and he was lost, his mouth opened against the pale skin of her throat leaving wet kisses on every part he could reach. He groaned as her hands moved from his arms to rest on his thighs, rubbing up and down and slowly moving his hips against her behind. The situation was now escalating wildly out of control, Nick was edging ever closer to the point of no return. He kissed wantonly up and down her neck and began to speak in breathy gasps as his hands drifted closer to her clothed breasts.

"What are we doing Jess?"

At some point his voice had become low and gravelly, his words punctuated with the wet, smacking sounds of his lips against her skin.

"I don't know...we should...uh...we shouldn't be doing this."

In spite of their feeble protestations neither of them pulled away. Quite the opposite. As Nick rubbed his hand up and down her torso his index finger caught the hem of her shirt pulling it up a little to expose the skin on her stomach to his touch. Every charge of energy in his body was now firing straight down to his groin, he could feel himself growing harder and harder against her ass. He flattened his hand against the soft plain of her naked stomach, the tips of his fingers dancing cautiously against the underside of her breast.

Jess could feel how hard he was against her, she knew she should stop this, it wasn't part of their plan but it felt so amazing. She wanted his hands everywhere, all over her. She wanted him to touch her the way he used to, the way nobody else could. Releasing her hands from the outside of his thighs, she reached one behind her blindly to thread her fingers through his hair, her nails scratching lightly against his scalp. The other she pushed under her shirt to rest over his, forcing it upwards along with the material of her shirt, urging him to touch her where she wanted him.

As he felt his palm slide over her bra covered breast Nick blew out a shaky breath.

"Jess we can't do this...not tonight" He continued to kiss up and down her neck, licking the small part of skin below her ear which never failed to make her moan.

"I know...I know. ..just please.. I need..."

"What...tell me what you want Jess" Nick could hear in his own voice how charged the moment was, how much he wanted her.

"Please just touch me...just for tonight. I need to feel you again."

At her soft pleas Nick buried his face into her neck, his fingers deftly pulling down the front of her bra exposing her breasts to him for the first time in months. As he looked down over her shoulder the sight made him rock hard. He ground himself into her behind trying in vain to relieve some of the pressure. He squeezed her breasts as he devoured her neck with his lips, he could see her skin had become reddened from the stubble on his face but he couldn't get enough of her.

As he ran both of his thumbs firmly back and forth over her nipples, the heat between her legs was becoming unbearable. She wasn't going to be able to put a stop to this, she knew it. Her fingers scraped desperately through his hair as she struggled to hold it together. She had never felt this close to the edge before and they both still had their underwear on, this was crazy. She could hear in the sounds that he was making that he was fighting to stay in control as much as she was, still she wanted him to feel what she was feeling. With that she moved her other hand behind her, reaching down to his groin and squeezing gently, eliciting a low groan with reverberated against her oversentized neck. She repeated her action, she knew what she was starting but it was hopeless trying to fight it.

"Uh...Jess...oh God"

His sentence trailed off in a breathy whisper as the feeling of pleasure radiated through his body. Nobody touched him like she did, she set every nerve on end. His brain was no longer in charge, it had taken a back seat along with his common sense and rationality. He trailed his right hand back down her stomach and ran his hands over the front of her jeans to press firmly between her legs, the heat he could feel from her was intoxicating.

"Nick...yes...God Nick please touch me."

Just as Nick popped the top button of her jeans ready to slide his hand in they heard a door open. Nick stepped back quickly and Jess frantically rearranged her shirt to cover herself up. Neither of them could breathe as they saw a sleepy looking Schmidt walk in the kitchen, seemingly oblivious to the charge in the atmosphere that had been created moments ago.

"Jeez Jessica can't you make a cup of tea properly, there's water all over the floor." Schmidt muttered, fumbling around for a glass.

"Yeah I know I'll clean it up."

"What are guys doing up to late anyway?"

"Talking, we were just talking" Nick sputtered fairly ineloquently.

"Yeah we were just talking...I'm going to go to bed now I think."

Jess' eyes flickerd up to look at Nick, his face was still a little flushed, she imagined hers was too. Her eyes locked with his briefly. There was so much to say but this wasn't the time to say it. Jess ran the towel over the pool of water on the floor and counter and then stood, breezing past Nick without looking at him. This had been a close call. They had promised to take it slow and she couldn't let this be a quick post-break up hook up on the kitchen counter, they meant too much to each other for that. When it happened it would really mean something. It would mean everything.

She gathered her papers up from the sofa as Schmidt shuffled back into his bedroom. She looked up at Nick who was still standing over in the kitchen and smiled.

"Goodnight Nick."


	3. Chapter 3

Jess could feel the warm tingly sensation working its way down her legs to the tips of her toes as she sat swinging her legs off the stool like a schoolgirl. She was on her third glass of wine which meant the world felt like a pretty wonderful place right at that moment. She had really missed this place, she had made a point of not coming after she and Nick broke up. Things were so hard and she knew the bar was his only place to really escape - she owed him that. But now as she sat running her fingers up and down the stem of her glass, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face, it felt good to be sitting there with all her boys again in a place that had slowly become their second home. She loved familiarity of it, she loved the smell but most of all she loved how much it all felt like Nick every last square inch of it. What's more is he seemed to want her there, he seemed comfortable, happy even.

It had been a week since their little encounter in the kitchen and neither of them had mentioned it. The next morning he had made her tea like nothing had happened, like he hadn't been on the verge of putting his hand down her pants the night before. She had no idea where they were or what they were doing, all she knew is that somewhere down the line things had gotten a little more comfortable between them. She had come to understand the pressure they had been putting on themselves as a couple before they broke up, they had crippled their own relationship under the weight of his insecurity and her expectations. Plainly and simply - they had panicked. Six months had brought her moments of wonderful clarity and valuable hindsight and all she saw now was two people who hadn't been brave enough to take a step forward so they retreated back to the safety of their friendship thinking that they could convince themselves it was what they both wanted. It wasn't. As Jess watched him work behind the bar, rubbing his arm across his forehead and scratching at his stubble she knew she would never be able to look at him as a friend ever again.

* * *

Nick looked at Jess resting her chin lazily on her hand as she seemed to sink lower down in her seat with each glass of wine.

"How we doing there Day?"

"I feel goooood"

"Well I'm glad to hear it"

"Do you guys want another drink, I still got another couple of hours to go here so you might as well."

"Sure" They chorused in unison, simultaneously pushing their glass in Nick's direction.

After sorting the guys with a neat whiskey Nick rested the neck of the wine bottle on Jess' glass trying to catch her eye, coaxing her into looking at him. When she didn't he paused, stilling his hand and not allowing the wine to flow into her glass. Now he had her attention as she raised her head to look at him with a confused smirk on her face.

"I dunno Day, your eyes are looking kinda funny, maybe I should cut you off." He smirked at her as he jokingly pulled the bottle away and began to screw the cap back on.

"Nuh uh no fair!" She smiled as she lunged playfully across the bar to grab it from him.

Teasing her he held it over her head passing it from hand to hand as she scrambled to try and grab it. As she came close to succeeding he decided to play dirty and pinched at her stomach softly, he knew how ticklish she was, it drove her crazy. Nick laughed as she stood on the footrest of the bar, waving her arms frantically trying to catch his ever moving hand. She started to jab him in the ribs in retaliation so he grabbed her wrist gently, the action pulling her body down slightly towards him and suddenly they were inches apart. As both their faces relaxed into something between a smile and a leer, Jess released her hand from his, shyly tucking her hair behind her ear as she sat back down.

Before the moment descended into another awkward silence Nick leaned on his elbow pouring her glass to the brim and pushing it towards her. He smiled baring all his teeth to her as he started to dry glasses to keep his hands busy. He wanted her so badly but he didn't know how to initiate things now, it was hard to find the right moment. He had always just leaned over and kissed her or pulled her to him, it had been that simple, but he couldn't do that now, things were still delicate. Sometimes he had to be content to just stand and stare at her and be happy that she would let him.

When Nick heard Schmidt cough loudly he looked up to see him throwing him a knowing stare accompanied by a raised eyebrow and coy smile. He mouthed an annoyed "What" at Schmidt, shrugging and feigning stupidity. Well and truly busted, Nick shook his head and shuffled to the other side of the bar to serve some customers.

* * *

As Nick made his umpteenth Mojito of the night he could see Schmidt sidling up to the bar in front of him but he kept his eyes on the task at hand knowing all too well what he was going to say. He waited patiently for Schmidt to open his mouth but when a few moments of silence passed them by Nick figured he would start it to get it out of the way.

"Just say it Schmidt"

"Say what?"

"Say whatever it is you've come over here to say"

"Hey man I just came to keep my buddy company"

"Sure you did"

"Soooooo"

"Theeeerrrre it is" Nick drawled and rolled his eyes.

"You and Jessica seem to be awfully comfortable in each other's company this evening Nicholas. If memory serves it wasn't so long ago that you guys couldn't be in the same room but I see the tide is turning."

"We're friends Schmidt."

"Friends?"

"Yes"

"Come on Nick you don't really believe that do you? You guys will never be friends."

"Oh and why is that?"

"Um..because you're still in love with each other, you both still want to get naked with each other, you both can't let each other go..."

"Look it's not that simple Schmidt, Jess and I have a lot to work through, we're in a good place right now and I'm fine with that."

"You're fine?"

"Yes"

"You're sure?"

"Yes"

"So you're totally fine that there is some guy hitting on her right now?"

Nick snapped his head to the right and sure enough some guy was now sitting in the seat which he was certain Winston had been sitting in just moments ago. Nick felt all the blood drain from his face and rush to his heart which was now pounding. She was laughing. Why was she laughing?

* * *

Nick did everything he could to avoid her eyeline doing his best to stay up his end of the bar. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside of him and he wasn't sure how he would react if he went over there. Who the hell was this guy? Why was she still talking to him? He had a thousand and one questions floating around in his head with not one answer to go with any of them. Nick realised how distracted he had been when he noticed Big Bob was no longer with him behind the bar, he was walking out back.

"Hey man where are you going?"

"It's my break"

"Can't you hang on for like ten more minutes."

"Nah I'm exhausted man, I haven't eaten in five hours."

Watching Bob disappear Nick clenched his jaw reluctantly walking over to Jess' side of the bar to serve the rest of Bob's waiting customers. He could hear Jess talking and laughing with the guy and he felt sick to his stomach. Was she really flirting with some guy right in front of him? Aware of someone shouting his name Nick looked past the crowd of customers standing in from of him to see Schmidt and Winston waving and yelling something he couldn't quite make out but what he could decipher was that they were planning on leaving, he heard something about the gym and and early brunch.

"Hey, hey, hey guys where are you going? Don't leave. Come on."

Nick felt like he was being bailed on but deep down he knew that Schmidt and Winston knew when to leave a situation, it was a trick they had learned after he and Jess had got together. They knew when something was brewing it had become like a sixth sense. Nick continued to yell pleas at them a little while longer but all he got was a shot of the back of their heads disappearing through the door.

* * *

Nick wiped down the bar, cleaning over spots he had already cleaned ten times. As the midnight revelers started to slowly pile out the door Jess came over and hopped up the bar stool in front of him. Nick hadn't noticed her friend leave but he couldn't say he was sorry to see him go.

"Hey"

"Hey" he mumbled, casting his eyes down. His expression a stark contrast to the one she had been wearing seconds ago when she had looked positive gleeful to see him.

"You ok?"

He didn't answer her, instead he lifted up the hatch to the bar, walking through and calling time on the stragglers who were draining the last remnants of their glasses. He stood by the door, his hand poised over the latch as the last few customers filtered out into the night. Jess waited patiently for them to have some time alone so she could talk to him but she noticed him looking at her expectantly, his hand still resting high on the open door.

"You should probably go Jess I have to close up"

"What?" She gave a nervous laugh, the smile quickly falling from her face.

"It's late Jess"

"What's wrong?"

Again he ignored her, walking heavily back into the bar allowing the door to slam behind him.

"Nick!" She was losing patience with him now. Finally he stopped busying himself with needless tasks around the bar and turned to face her.

"Who was that guy Jess?"

She had expected him to sound angry, for him to raise his voice but all she heard was a tone of sorrow and fear.

"That's why you're mad it me? My God Nick, he was a guy I worked with when I first started teaching. I would have introduced you to him if you had bothered to come over."

"Yeah well I couldn't cos you kinda looked like you were enjoying yourself Jess" Now the angry tone was powering through.

"You think I would do that?...right in front of you?"

"I never used to think that?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean before it was different, we were together and I trusted you?"

"You're saying you don't trust me any more?"

"No! I'm saying it's different now, you don't owe me anything because we're not together any more...not officially. You could go off with any guy you wanted and I wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it Jess!"

Suddenly she realised what this was all about, he wasn't jealous, he was frustrated. Immediately she softened as she watched him rubbed his fingers hard into his closed eyes trying to soothe away the tension.

"Nick..."

"Look let's just drop it Jess."

"No I don't want to drop it..." She edged closer towards him, "Nick listen to me...I don't want anybody else."

She stood in front of him, so close their bodies were almost pressed against one another, but as she raised her hands to place them against his chest he caught her by the waist pushing her back a little.

"Jess..." There was a warning tone to his voice as he shook his head, holding her away from him but still gripping her waist.

"Look at me Nick" He kept is eyes to the floor knowing that the second he looked up and his eyes met hers he didn't stand a chance. But she wouldn't give up, she stepped towards him again, placing her hands on his heaving chest and ducking her head down, willing his eyes up to hers. Finally he succumbed allowing their gaze to meet. There was a mix of desire and uncertainty in her eyes, she wasn't uncertain of him, deep down he knew that but the fear of returning to the depths of the pain they had felt when they broke up was overwhelming. But if there was one thing that could overpower that fear it was how much he loved her and he needed to show her that.

Jess could see his eyes darting around her face, she could feel his fingers flexing against her hips, his lips parted slightly as his heavy breaths forced their way out. As her eyes locked with his she saw a look she knew all too well, it was same look he had when he kissed her for the first time, the first time they made love and almost every time they had made love since. It was like he was about to devour her in the best possible way. She waited for him to kiss her, she waited but it didn't come. He tightened his grip on her waist and he was lifting her, he lifted her like she was a feather and placed her on the bar with a little bounce. Words of protest were making their way to her mouth but nothing came out except breaths and tiny whimpers in anticipation of what was about to come.

In any other situation she would have taken a moment to appreciate their romantic embrace, his arms encircling her waist as he gazed up at her, her hands clasped around the back of his neck as she stared into his deep brown eyes. But this moment right here was about needing and wanting, it was six months apart and screaming to be joined back together. They both knew they had about ten seconds to back out.

Neither of them did.

Nick knew what to do, he knew how to make her lose her mind, he knew how to make her scream. He remembered the first time he had done this for her on the beach in Mexico. She had wriggled and jokingly pushed him away, terrified that somebody would walk by. At least that was what she said but he knew she was just a little shy about letting him, Nick Miller, her friend Nick Miller, get that intimate with her. But she had melted under his hands as he began to touch her, first with his hands then with him mouth. The way she had looked at him and the way she said his name as she came was the fantasy he had gone to sleep to every night as he held himself thinking of her. He needed that again.

He moved back from her dragging his hands down her thighs and pulling behind her knees so her butt shifted forward on the bar. She slapped her palms down flat on the bar top at the sudden movement. She was mesmerised as he rubbed his hands down the inside of her thighs, his rough fingers making her skin break out in goose pimples. As he inched his fingers further down her legs pushing them apart gently, she finally saw them disappear under her dress as he hooked them through the waistband of her underwear. He looked at her, giving her one last out but instead she pushed her weight on her hands raising her hips off the bar. Nick pulled her underwear down her legs and over her ankles dropping them somewhere behind him. His eyes locked between her legs as he licked his bottom lip in anticipation.

Then his mouth was on her and her eyes rolled back as jolts of pleasure started to shoot through her, moans escaping her mouth with each stroke of his tongue. He knew her body so well, parts of her would tingle and quiver that no guy had ever reached before. She felt his coarse hands running up and down the soft skin of her thighs as his mouth pressed more and more firmly, slipping and sliding against her. Fighting to keep her eyes open she managed to look down, transfixed by the look on his face and the movements of his mouth on her. Keeping one hand pressed flat against the bar to keeping herself from falling back, she raked the other through his hair. She loved the feel of his soft hair against her palms as his head rubbed back and forth under his efforts. It took all her power not to pull him hard against her, she could feel the tension building and her body started to wriggle as the pleasure shot through to all her extremities. She ground her hips against him, rapidly becoming overwhelmed by the sensation. She knew it was because she loved him, it all felt so amazing because she loved him, he had that power over her entire body because he had her heart first and foremost and it had always been that way, since the first time they kissed.

As Nick's fingers joined in where his mouth was she gripped tight on to the back edge of the bar, her fingers rubbing furiously against his scalp. She looked down as she teetered on the edge and caught him looking up at her and it was then that she exploded, her hips rocking feverishly against him trying to draw it out. His name left her lips as she was caught somewhere between ecstasy and crying.

As she came to Nick circled his arms around her butt pulling her into his lap as he rested on the bar stool where she had sat. Pressing their feet against either side of the foot rests they were precariously balanced but his strong arms kept her pulled against him as she came down from her high. As Nick gazed at her she almost looked drugged as she recovered from what he had just put her through, it made pride swell in his chest that he could do that to her, that he could do it to her again when he feared he might never get the chance. The last time they had slept together he hadn't known it would be their last time, if he had he would have committed every single millisecond of it to memory but instead he had been left with an empty side of the bed and it had been nothing but a dark reminder of the intimacy he had lost.

She rested her head down on his shoulder while he rubbed her back soothingly, he loved to hold her after they had been intimate. He had never felt that with anyone before, at first it had scared him a little, that the buzz of their union didn't ever wear off, it just kept going. He kissed her neck softly rousing her from her haze and he felt her hands drop from around his neck to his waistband, messing with his zipper, their proximity making it a little harder for her to get to where she wanted. Undeterred she tugged at his pants until eventually he sprang free into her waiting hand, a groan of unbridled relief leaving him. She locked her eyes with his as she stroked him up and down her pace gradually quickening and her grasp getting a little tighter. He gripped her butt hard trying to keep control as well as trying to keep her in his lap. He stretched his neck leaning up to kiss her as she continued to pump her hand against him. Soon as the pleasure took him over he no longer had the coordination to move his lips and his mouth hung open against hers gasping for air, moans turning into growls as he came closer to release. He saw Jess bite her lip, her shoulder shaking under the fast exertion of her arm and suddenly he was gone. He yelled her name as his hips jerked up into her hand. As all his energy shot to his groin his grip on her weakened causing her to drop back a little, somehow his reflexes kicked in as he pulled hard at her butt forcing her tight back on to his lap. They both erupted into laughter at the absurdity of where they were, giddy from the elation of what had just happened. As their laughter died down their disbelieving smiles remained, Jess stroked her fingers through his hair, the gesture feeling just as intimate as what they had just done.

"What am I gonna do with you Miller?"


	4. Chapter 4

Nick kept his eyes forward pretending to stare intently at the movie screen, in reality he could feel the muscles in his eye sockets getting sore from straining to look at her without turning his head. He felt like he was 16 again and on his first date, a few days ago he'd had his head between her legs and now he felt too nervous to even hold her hand. He turned his head finally allowing himself a good, long look at her, as the light from the screen flickered on her face he stopped to consider once again how he had ever managed to get a girl like her, even after everything that had happened she was still perfect to him. He watched her adjust her glasses and chew eagerly on her popcorn, she was completely engrossed in the movie. She wasn't as easily distracted as him it seemed.

Nick rubbed his now slightly sweaty palms on his jeans and turned his head back to the movie to figure out what the hell was going on. He knew she would want to talk about it after. He clasped his hands in his lap, resigning to the fact that perhaps she wasn't quite ready for such couply gestures when he felt small fingers wiggle their way in between his palms and lace through his. He turned to her but she kept her eyes on the screen, continuing to calmly munch on her popcorn. Without turning her head she gave his hand a squeeze and leaned to the side pressing her upper arm against his and Nick felt a warmth spread through his whole body.

They walked leisurely down the street, shunning a cab home in favour of a little more alone time together. He listened to her talk about the faults and merits of the movie and laughed at her always colourful critique, he smiled as she laced her fingers back through his, swinging their hands back and forth like a couple of teenagers. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this happy. As Jess offered her final verdict on the movie a silence fell over them, a silence that they both knew would come at some point in the evening, a silence they knew would have to be filled with questions about what they were and where they were going. But it was those questions that had caused all the problems in the first place and Nick had promised her no pressure. So instead he stopped walking and pulled at her hand, tugging her so she was standing right in front of him. She fixed her glasses and gave him that smile that made his heart feel like it would burst. The truth was he did desperately want to know what they were, he wanted to hear her say it more than anything, he felt the words rise in his throat but instead he pulled at her hands and kissed her softly. As the kissed intensified they forgot where the were, finding themselves pressed up against the wall next to a store front. Nick may have kept going if he hadn't felt Jess' hands press against his chest, putting a stop to their kiss.

"Whoa there mister...we're outside Nick"

"Yeah I kinda forgot there for a second"

They both giggled breathlessly, their mouths looking well and truly kissed. Jess kept her hands pressed against his chest feeling his heart thudding against his ribcage as they fought the urge to tear each others clothes off.

"We keep finding ourselves here huh?"

"Yeah we do" Nick tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that was blowing wildly in the breeze.

"Soooo..."

"So..."

"Look Nick..."

Nick's breath was baited to say the least but as he waited for Jess to finish speaking all he heard was the rather unwelcome tones of the Pointer Sisters. Jess dived for her bag as she realised her phone was ringing, muttering under her breath at the intrusion. Nick dropped his hands back by his sides with an annoyed sigh and cast his eyes to the sky as his head dropped back in frustration. The words 'why now' were repeating over and over in his head until his attention was drawn back to Jess at the sound of concern in her voice.

"You're where?...How?...Oh my God!...Look I'll be right there."

As Jess moved to put her phone back in her bag Nick could see her hands shaking, her eyes were darting around in a panic. Nick held the tops of her arms trying to steady her and remind her that he was there.

"Jess what's the matter?"

"It's Abby, she's been arrested...again."

"What? Abbey is in L.A. again?"

"Well apparently she never left. God I can't believe her."

"It's ok we'll figure this out Jess."

"I gotta get to her before my Mom finds out."

* * *

Nick had been sitting in the waiting room clutching the same crappy cup of coffee for a half hour when Jess finally emerged. She charged past him and out of the main doors like she hadn't even see him. Throwing the cup in the trash next to him he bolted to follow behind her.

"Jess hey, Jess wait!"

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, her tear stained eyes were red behind her slightly askew glasses.

"Jess what happened?"

"She hit a cop Nick...The bail is too high I can't afford it. I'm gonna have to call my Mom...this is gonna kill her."

"Hey Jess come here, it's gonna be ok we can figure this out"

As he stepped towards her she fell into his waiting arms, clutching tight at the back of his t-shirt. His arms circled her waist in a bid to try and calm her down, as he gently stroked her back his fingers absentmindedly caught the bottom of her shirt, his hand stroking the soft skin on her back. It had been an accidental move, he hadn't even realised he had done it, but apparently she had.

"No Nick!"

She pushed his arms from her waist with more force than she intended.

"What the hell Jess, that wasn't what I was doing...I'm trying to help"

"That's not helping, that's not what I need from you right now. I don't need you to be my scratching post I need you to be my boyfriend!"

There was a deafening silence following her exclamation. Nick was scared to speak, he was scared to make her question what she just said, he wasn't even sure he had heard it right.

"Do you mean that Jess?"

Jess paused weighing up the gravity of what she had just said and considering its implications.

"I mean it...Can you do that?"

"Yeah I can do that"

Nick had stopped breathing, he wasn't sure he would ever breathe out again. He looked on as the tears fell down her cheeks. Sure she was upset about Abby but he knew that in that moment those tears were for him, for them. Jess hooked her arms around his neck the way she had done so many times before and kissed him. It was a quick, simple, chaste kiss but there was more promise and emotion in it than either of them had ever felt before. Nick gripped her hand to let her know that he was there, that he wasn't going anywhere ever again, that he was going to be everything she needed.

They walked home in a perfect, comfortable silence.

* * *

They talked for hours trying to find a way to fix Abby's situation, well just to fix Abby, but Jess was at a loss as to what to do. Abby was Jess' sister so Nick had to follow her lead but he just wanted to fix everything for her and make her feel safe. As Nick smoothed away the hundredth tear from her face gently with his thumb he made a move to the kitchen to make her some tea, that always helped to calm her down a little. Five minutes later he returned to find her passed out on the couch. He kneeled down in front of her and softly trailed his fingers down her cheek being sure not to wake her. He gently removed her glasses and her shoes and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch to lay it over her. She needed someone to take care of her for once he thought as he grabbed is jacket and headed out the door.

Jess woke hours later, it was still early but late enough for the sun to stream in through the windows. As she squinted in the sun she fumbled for her glasses and instinctively looked round for Nick. She was met with nothing but four wall and silence so she rose to her feet wiping the sleep from her eyes, a sinking feeling settling back in her stomach as she rememberd where her sister was. Feeling more vulnerable she searched for Nick, she pushed the door to his room open but his bed didn't look like it had been slept in. She sat on his bed taking a moment to get her head together when she heard the front door open. Rushing out into the hall she found Nick creeping through the door, clearly assuming she would still be asleep on the couch. She rushed towards him like she hadn't seen him in weeks gripping his t-shirt at either side of his waist and staring eagerly into his tired eyes.

"Nick...where have you been?"

"I uh...I went to see your sister?"

"You were at the station?"

"Uh no I was at motel about two blocks away actually."

"What? I don't understand."

"I swung by the bar last night after you fell asleep. I managed to get an advance on my wages so I went to get Abby and set her up in the motel for a few days."

Jess' mouth dropped open as her eyes immediately filled with tears which wasted no time in falling down her face. Nick reached up pulling her glasses from her face and wiping her tears away with the back of his knuckle.

"Hey Jess it's ok. She's ok."

"That's...that's not why...you did that for Abby?"

"I did that for you...Jess I..."

She had heard enough as she pulled at the back of his head, his lips crashing against hers. Pulling away with a gasp she grabbed both of his hands and started to walk backwards, leading him to his bedroom.

"Are you sure Jess" he whispered breathlessly against her lips.

"I'm sure...make love to me."

They were barely through the bedroom door before Jess pulled her shirt over her head, no sooner had it hit the floor then her hands were at the hem of his t-shirt pulling it upwards. Taking a moment to try and control her breathing she trailed her hands down his chest, her nails scratching gently at the hair that covered it. She kissed and licked down his neck, the sensation setting his hands in motion against her ass. She kissed tenderly down his chest lingering just a few seconds longer over his heart which she could feel vibrating against her lips. Nick threaded his fingers through her soft hair as she peppered his chest with kisses, he looked at her as she moved her mouth languidly over his skin, fighting to keep his eyes open as the feel of her lips fired straight down between his legs.

Pulling her face back up to his, their kisses were no long brief nor chaste, he pushed his tongue into her mouth, their moans mingling at the sensation they had both missed so much. He squeezed at her butt, the action making her lift her leg to hook over his, their hips already starting to fall into that familiar rhythm. He pushed his hands down into the back of her underwear, kneading the soft flesh of her butt in his hands. They wobbled and staggered a little as they took small steps back towards the bed refusing to relinquish their hold on each other even a little bit. His hands still inside her underwear he pushed them down and she kicked them off her ankles with ease while popping the buttons of his pants undone. He made light work of her bra which he managed to unhook with one hand, he was always pretty pleased with himself when he pulled off that move, it was a shame she was far to preoccupied with his underwear to notice.

They had spent the last month dancing around each other and they both knew that now they needed to feel that connection, there was no more waiting. With his pants still around his sock covered ankles and her skirt still fastened around her waist they fell to the bed. He lifted her legs to hook them over his hips and with a soft whisper of 'I love you' he pushed inside of her. Trailing his hand up her forearm he clutched her hand over her head and locked eyes with her willing her to look at him as he moved inside her. Finally pushing himself up on his hands he towered over her, his hips pounding relentlessly. She held either side of his face, watching him as his jaw clenched and his eyes screwed shut as the pleasure overcame him. Determined to make her fall with him he dropped a hand between them, touching her to bring her over the edge. After a month of foreplay it didn't take long as they both shattered, one following closely behind the other, both crying each other's name.

* * *

Hours later Nick walked out of the gas station back to the car, he knew that Jess was a little more calm now she had seen her sister, there were also other factors which may have contributed to her more relaxed state which made him smile. As he returned to the car she was leaning against her door looking out the sunset, he took a moment to stop and look at her without really meaning to, but he didn't always have control over these things. Leaning against the car door next to her, he handed her a coffee.

"Thanks...hey I got you something too while you were in paying for the gas."

He had noticed the bag in her hand but hadn't said anything.

"Oh yeah?"

She pushed herself off the car and stood in front of him, biting her lip to stifle the cheeky smile that was creeping across her face. She reached into the bag and pulled out the contents placing it on his head and looking very pleased with herself. Nick peeled it off and held it in his hand to regard it. It was a trucker cap, a pretty cheap looking one, but he liked the gesture.

"You got me a trucker hat?" He laughed, spinning it round on his finger.

"Yeah...well you're gonna need it" She laughed too before her face fell a little more serious.

"I want you Nick, all of you. I want bar tender Nick, I want trucker Nick. I want Nick in whatever shape and form he comes in."

He smiled, the kind of smile that made his face ache it was so big. He laughed placing the cap on her head and lifted her up, her legs hooking round his waist as he kissed her like there wasn't a gas station full of people looking at them.

"I love you Jess."

"I love you too."

**The End**


End file.
